For the past three years I have been involved in “Best Bites: Taste of the Region” fundraiser here in Cambridge, Ontario. As the beverage contact on the organizing committee for the event I contact and invite the wineries, breweries & distilleries to the event. As you can imagine, I have the best job! This is the 5th in a series of “Thank You” posts featuring the beverage participants who have been such an important part of helping make Best Bites such a resounding success each year.

Every morning, Chef Chris Barkshire at Solé Restaurant & Wine Bar in Waterloo, Ontario, arrives early to make fresh batches of their signature house breads. One of their breads is made using Waterloo Brewery Company’s “Waterloo Dark”, a refreshing dark lager. It is a delicious, crusty, multi-grain bread that is a favourite of many customers.

Waterloo, Ontario, a city just north of Cambridge, is a growing hub of IT start-ups and ventures. The city is also home to two renowned universities and several research facilities. With the growth, changes and fluctuations in the population, the city continues to have a solid sense of community. It is collaborations like this between these two popular local businesses that exemplify the support and comradery found in the city.

1. Crumble fresh yeast into plastic container, add sugar and water. Water should be at a nice tepid bath temperature. It will double in size so use a large container. Put somewhere warm to activate.

2. In a mixer, add flour, salt and all the grains and seeds. Mix for two minutes. Add the remaining ingredients mix for three minutes. Then add the yeast mixture and mix for another 8 min.

3. The dough will be very tacky and sticky, to work with, so be sure to flour your hands as you pull it out of the mixer. Place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place where it can double in size.

4. After doubling in size punch it down, cut and shape it into loaves, rolls or any shape you want. Place on baking trays and let rise again.

5. Bake at 325°F for approximately 25 minutes or until you tap on the loaf and it sounds hollow.

WATERLOO DARK

Brewed with specialty Canadian malts, imported hops and pure cultured brewer’s yeast, Waterloo Dark has been recognized and honored multiple times for its superior quality and craftsmanship at the World Beer Cup, Canadian and Ontario Brewing Awards, and the Monde Selection International Institute for Quality Selections.

FOOD PAIRING

Dark lagers are enjoyed all year long, and they’re not as filling as ales. Beef dishes go especially well with Waterloo Dark. This lager’s roasted malt character allows your taste buds to enjoy the rich flavour of that perfectly cooked top sirloin steak. Waterloo Dark will cut some of the heaviness in sauce-based pork rib dishes as well.

For the past three years I have been involved in “Best Bites: Taste of the Region” fundraiser here in Cambridge, Ontario. As the beverage contact on the organizing committee for the event I contact and invite the wineries, breweries & distilleries to the event. As you can imagine, I have the best job! This is the 4th in a series of “Thank You” posts featuring the beverage participants who have been such an important part of helping make Best Bites such a resounding success each year.

Steam Whistle’s founding partners Greg Taylor, Cameron Heaps and Gregory Cromwell, met while working together at the Upper Canada Brewing Company. After Upper Canada Brewing was sold to Sleeman’s, and the Toronto brewery was closed, the three friends lost their jobs and went to work elsewhere. They loved the beer industry, though, and wanted to get back into it so they decided to start their own brewery. They wanted to call it “The Three Fired Guys” and after 2 years, their dream became a reality when they opened Steam Whistle Brewing in March 2000. Although they called the brewery Steam Whistle in reminiscence of 1950s, a “3FG” is on every bottle and can.

Every month, Steam Whistle hosts an art exhibition to support local, emerging artists. They provide the space, launch party and promotion – all for free. In return, all Steam Whistle asks the artist is to donate one piece of art to be displayed in the brewery for thousands of visitors to appreciate each year. This November they had a Staff and Friends Art Show where the brewery staff showcased and donated a piece of their own art to raise money for Movember.

1. Pour the Steam Whistle Pilsner, vinegar, and water into a tall gallon stockpot. Add the Old Bay seasoning, cover and heat to a boil. When the blend is boiling rapidly, add the shrimp and cook for 1 – 2 mins, or until the shrimp turns pink. The flesh will continue to cook in the shell, so don’t overcook. Drain the shrimp in a colander.

2. Before serving, blend the minced garlic and Creole seasoning, and butter and toss the shrimp in this spicy blend

2. Combine all dry ingredients, add in the beer, honey, & melted butter, mix together until a dough forms.

3. Place the dough in a greased loaf pan (try a mini loaf pan & make some smaller loaves, great for sandwiches!), and pop into the oven. Bake for 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick, and if it comes out clean you’re good to go.

“Amelie has no boyfriend. She tried once or twice, but the results were a letdown. Instead, she cultivates a taste for small pleasures: dipping her hand into sacks of grain, cracking crème brûlée with a teaspoon and skipping stones at St. Martin’s Canal.”~ Excerpt from the script of “Amelie”

As Ken tapped the keg, the party-goers lined up their mugs and the suds flowed. One after another the “Mmmm”s and the “Oh ya”s filled the room. The new beer was a hit!

Ken Woods tapping a keg

Black Oak Brewery in Toronto is known for throwing great parties and this night was extra special. They were celebrating surviving 10 years in the craft brewing business and Ken had brewed a strong batch of “10 Bitter Years” to celebrate the occasion.

The new beer was a hit with the crowd, but the revelers did not know Ken’s tongue was firmly planted in his cheek when he named it “10 Bitter Years.” The craft brewing business is tough and while many brewers had failed, Black Oak was still standing. There had been tough obstacles along the way and some bitter memories lingered, yet it was truly an occasion to celebrate.

Ken Woods had always loved craft brews, so in 1999 he decided to try his hand at creating his own, and Black Oak Brewery was born. Ken sees the large brewers as similar to the fast food industry where large amounts are produced to appeal to a mass market. He loves being in the craft brew business and equates it to a fine, personal dining experience where every subtle element is carefully attended to by the brewer.

If you ask Ken what makes his beer special, he will tell you it is prepared in small batches with custom engineered, high tech, Canadian made equipment. He will tell you the majority of the ingredients are Canadian, but the key ingredient he wants you to know is the reverse osmosis water. It is 99.9% pure and creates consistency in the brewing, plus it allows them to treat the water with minerals for authentic types of beer.

Black Oak has two beers it brews year round – Black Oak Pale Ale and Black Oak Nut Brown Ale – and five seasonal beers. The “10 Bitter Years” beer continues to be very popular.

Ken is very smart and has surrounded himself and his business with great people. I have personally enjoyed getting to know a few of them.

Tracy Phillippi

Tracy Phillippi. Tracy handles the Black Oak marketing and administration business. She is a passionate craft brew and food writer who does everything with enthusiasm and her unique flair. Extending her love of good food into the community she started the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council “to mobilize and engage youth to make change by building a just food system.” www.tyfpc.ca

Jason Rees

Jason Rees. Jason is a chef and griller. http://bbqblog.ca He worked some kind of magic and created this amazing crème brûlée with Black Oak Nutcracker Porter, one of Black Oak’s seasonal beers. Jason certainly has a wild side to his personality, and he also has a big heart. He just spent three weeks in Haiti building homes with Habitat for Humanity.http://www.habitat.ca

1. Start by reducing a 341ml bottle of Nutcracker Porter on the stove to 1 cup (about 1/3) do this over moderate heat, do no let the beer boil, as it will get a burnt flavour. This will take at least 30 minutes to do. Don’t forget to drink a beer while you are waiting for the reduction, it makes the time watching it so much more fun.

2. After then beer has been reduced to 1 cup, add the cream, scraped vanilla bean 1/2 the sugar and nutmeg, and bring almost to a boil, whisking constantly. When you see boil bubbles reduce the heat, if you are using a thermometer the temperature you are looking for is no more than 175°F/80°C and at least 140°F/60°C hold this temperature for 10 minutes to let the flavour from the vanilla bean steep like a cup of tea. Carefully remove the vanilla bean from the hot mixture, and remove from heat.

3. In a separate glass or metal bowl combine the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the yolks are frothy.

4. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks whisking constantly as not to make the eggs scramble. This is often referred to as “tempering” the eggs. Combine the entire mixture and whisk gently for another 5 minutes.

5. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh into ramekins to remove any vanilla bits and cooked eggy bits.

6. Place ramekins in (water bath) a pan with at least 1 inch of water in the bottom to help equalize the heat, and cook in your oven at 300°F for 45-55 minutes, until firm around the edges but still “jiggly” in the center.

7. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled, about 2 hours. Remove ramekins from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours. I like to chill mine over night.

8. Here’s the best part. Get out your blow torch! I like to do this with my guests watching- sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. I like to use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar. I’ve been told this can be done under the oven broiler, I’ve never tried it though, as i love any excuse to use my blow torch. This step can’t be done too far in advance, as the cooked sugar will dissolve into the creme in about an hour.

The Steam Whistle story begins in the spring of 1998 when three friends were on a canoe trip in the Ontario heartland. Greg Taylor, Cam Heaps and Greg Cromwell had all been colleagues at one of Canada’s premier microbreweries producing quality beer in the late 1980’s and 90’s – before it was bought out by a national brewer and closed down. As they sat around the campfire, the self-named “Three Fired Guys” dreamed of running their own brewery one day.

They wanted to make a Pilsner that would compete with the best in the world. They wrote a plan and quickly attracted investors with their vision and passion.

Steve has been fueling his passion for real southern barbeque and fusion style cooking for over two decades. “I get my inspiration from the huge melting pot of different cultures, flavours and cooking styles that Canada has to offer”. Dedication and hard work have paid off as Steve has led his competition BBQ team, Team Cedar Grilling to victory for three consecutive years earning the coveted Canadian BBQ Championship title, together with the privilege of representing Canada at the Jack Daniels’ World Championships in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Steve can often be found at his Muskoka cottage working on new innovative ideas, techniques, and food design in search of barbeque perfection. Two of his ongoing goals are to develop recipes showcasing his sponsors’ products that are used in competition and to share his passion for grilling through BBQ workshops and events.

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar, in 110°F water & beer and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution.

3. Mix in 3 cups of the flour.

4. Turn dough out onto a clean, well-floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a bowl well-coated in olive oil, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour.

5. Punch the dough down, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out into desired size.

6. Add Steve’s Pizza Sauce and your own favourite ingredients.

7. Preheated BBQ and pizza stone to 500-700°F.

8. Bake pizzas until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 6 -10 minutes. Serve with Steam Whistle Pilsner.

(Toronto, ON May 18, 2011) – Nothing says summer like BBQ & Beer, and what better marriage than Canadian BBQ Champions paired with Canada’s Premium Pilsner. In 2006, Steve Adams, leader of Team Cedar Grilling approached Steam Whistle Brewing about partnering together when he took his competition BBQ Team to that season’s BBQ Festivals and championships.

Team Cedar Grilling was looking for the best beer to pair with their creations as well as use this key ingredient in winning recipes, and had their eye on Steam Whistle Pilsner for its all natural ingredients and perfect balance of malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness that offered a clean, refreshing taste. The result is a collection of delicious barbeque recipes that either include or pair exceptionally well with Steam Whistle Pilsner.

Steam Whistle, an independent brewery housed in Toronto’s historic John St. Roundhouse, has a passionate focus of making just one beer of exceptional quality that Canadians can be proud of. They brew their refreshing Pilsner with traditional brewing methods and only four, natural (GMO-free) ingredients. Steam Whistle Pilsner is packaged in signature green glass bottles, cans and draught and is shipped fresh across Ontario, Alberta and BC to Beer and Liquor Stores as well as licensed bars & restaurants.

Steam Whistle welcomes more than 100,000 visitors to the brewery each year to the on-site retail store, for a tour, or to attend one of the many on-site events, concerts and art shows. Highly awarded for its premium beer, its business success, community support and environmental practices, Steam Whistle Pilsner is now one of the top selling premium beer brands in Canada. To learn more about what they do really, really well visit www.steamwhistle.ca

Steam Whistle Pilsner offers the style and flavour of the great Pilsners of Europe, yet is brewed fresh locally at their independent, Canadian Brewery. Crafted under the watchful eye of their Czech-born Brewmaster, this golden-coloured Bohemian Pilsner is characterized by a floral hop aroma, sweet graininess with distinctive grassy notes, and balanced by a clean, crisp finish and pleasant lingering bitterness. When pouring this refreshing lager, expect soft, rising foam and a smooth drinking experience. Best stored and served 4-8° Celsius.